The wind of impeachment blowing in some parts of the country seems set to hit Enugu, following moves against the deputy governor by members of the House of Assembly. Special Correspondent, CHIBUZOR NWACHUKWU, reports from Enugu…
Governor Sullivan Chime
Less than one year to the expiration of the tenure of Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, the fate of his deputy, Sunday Onyebuchi, appears to be hanging on the balance. This is on account of impeachment notice served him by members of the House of Assembly.
To informed followers of the lackluster Enugu politics, the uncertain development is hardly surprising, given that the relationship between Chime and Onyebuchi had, in the last seven years, been, at best, lukewarm.
Both, incidentally, had come on board as proteges of the former governor, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani. While Chime had served the administration as Commissioner for Justice, Onyebuchi served first as Personal Assistant to Nnamani and later appointed Commissioner for Works.
Along the line, however, Chime and his former boss, who later became a senator, fell apart. While the feud lasted, Onyebuchi, who refused to be drawn against Nnamani, became threatened and gravely marginalised.
In the process, Chime shifted to his Chief of Staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, who practically doubles as Deputy Governor.
When Chime was sick and abroad, many had concluded that he would not return alive.
The governor’s opponents had, in fact, at a time, begun positioning Onyebuchi as the governor-in-waiting, only for them to be beaten to their permutation when Chime returned.
Since Chime’s return, the battle line had been drawn between the governor and his deputy.
Analysts, however, interpret the unfolding development in line with alliances by top Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in the state ahead the 2015 general election.
Nnamani, the former governor, has, for instance, commenced plans to launch his comeback to Enugu politics, with an eye on the general elections. It is, in fact, insinuated in some quarters that the friction between Chime and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, is a product of the former governor’s agenda.
Even the plot to impeach the deputy governor is seen as an attempt to hit back at the former governor.
Before now, Nnamani’s political structure, known as Ebeano machinery, had virtually been comatose since he seemed to have lost out in the state’s power play.
But the former senator, apparently in a bid to re-assert his influence on Enugu politics, needed a platform to actualise this ambition and found it on Ekweremadu who also served in his administration.
Against this backdrop, supporters of Chime, TheNiche learnt, see Onyebuchi as a mole in their camp, and that his being around corridors of power would certainly be a minus for Chime and a plus for Nnamani and Ekweremadu.
They also alleged that Onyebuchi had been around at several meetings by Ekweremadu and Nnamani. This, it was gathered, had given the governor some discomfort.
Our reporter also learnt that Chime’s permutations on powershift to Enugu North Senatorial zone may crash if Onyebuchi remains in office, as, according to sources, the Awgu and Nkanu political platform are greatly opposed to the style of rotation being championed by the governor.
What may, however, appear as a paradox of fate on the part of the embattled deputy governor is the fact that he found himself in the Nnamani and Chime crossfire.
While Onyebuchi maintains his loyalty to Nnamani, his former boss, he still tries to strike a balance in remaining loyal to Chime, his current principal – a situation that has left him at the crossroads.
Though it is being canvassed that whatever the legislature calls an impeachable offence remains an impeachable offence, sympathisers of Onyebuchi see the move against him as a sign of ingratitude on the part of the governor, who, while away on a medical trip, almost lost his seat but for the refusal of his deputy to do ‘the needful’.
“Why would Chime choose to do this to his deputy at this time? We know how many times we tried to impress it on Onyebuchi to take over and we presented him with the legal safeguard to go about it, but he refused the gesture. He rather kept faith with his boss and when he (Chime) came back, he (Onyebuchi) received him,” a source volunteered.
Political calculations are rife that the eventual impeachment of Onyebuchi may work against Chime’s choice of a successor in 2015 and may likely whittle his political clout drastically than envisaged.
Yet another odd that may weigh against the impeachment bid is the reported romance between Nnamani and the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu.
Before the impeachment notice, Onyebuchi had got wind of the plot and raised the alarm over it. On the day the notice was endorsed by the Assembly, he was in Abuja, apparently trying to negotiate his way out of the situation.
Sources claimed that Mu’azu may save him from the plot. But whichever way it goes, the impeachment saga has thrown up Enugu State for more battles, even before the 2015 poll.
It is equally being feared that the fresh crisis in Enugu may even consume top players in the power play, as, according to a source, those who claim to be loyalists of Chime may have a rethink in order to remain relevant in the scheme of things come 2015.